Sourdough discard biscuits are buttery, flaky, and incredibly easy to make—perfect for using up extra starter without long fermentation. These biscuits bake up tall and tender in just 30 minutes, and I’ve included notes for making them with fresh milled flour if that’s your preference.
Quick Recipe Overview: 30 Minute Sourdough Discard Biscuits
⏱️ Ready In: 30 minutes
🍽️ Serves: 8 biscuits
🔥 Calories: ~378 per biscuit
🧈 Main Ingredients: Sourdough discard, butter, flour, milk, egg, baking powder
🌾 Dietary Info: Vegetarian · No yeast
❤️ Why You’ll Love It: A quick, no-waste way to use sourdough discard—these biscuits are buttery, flaky, and easy to make, with a fresh milled flour option included.
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“I’m a newbie when it comes to sourdough anything. This is only my 3rd time using my discard and I’m no professional baker but have been trying to make things at home! This recipe was so simple to follow and so easy with a delicious outcome. My biscuits were tall and fluffy and tasted so good! I’ll be making these again.” – Hannah
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Ready in 30 minutes – No long fermentation or waiting; these biscuits go from mixing bowl to baked and ready super quick.
- Simple, pantry-friendly ingredients – Nothing fancy, just classic biscuit staples like milk, egg, salt, baking powder, butter, and sourdough discard.
- Buttery, flaky layers – A simple fold-and-cut method creates tall biscuits with lots of tender layers.
- Fresh milled flour option – Notes included for making these biscuits with fresh milled flour.
If you’re looking for more easy ways to use up extra starter, be sure to try my sourdough discard cinnamon rolls for a soft, indulgent bake that’s perfect for weekends, or my quick sourdough discard scones when you want something fast and lightly sweet. Both recipes are beginner-friendly, use simple ingredients, and use up an entire cup of sourdough discard.
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Spend the day with me in my homestead kitchen as I await the arrival of our fifth baby and make some easy sourdough discard recipes – including these biscuits with smoked sausage gravy – my favorite way to have biscuits!
Key Ingredients
- Sourdough Discard: This recipe is perfect for unfed or active sourdough starter. The discard adds flavor without requiring a long ferment. Active starter works fine, too. Either way, the baking powder does the leavening in this recipe.
- Flour: I buy organic, unbleached flour and grain in bulk from Azure Standard for all of my baking. If you mill your own grain, I’ve included an easy fresh milled flour option using hard white wheat.
- Butter: Cold, high-quality butter is essential for flaky layers. I use grass-fed butter for the best flavor and texture.
- Milk & Egg: Add richness and help bind the dough while keeping the biscuits soft and tender.
- Baking Powder: Provides reliable lift so the biscuits rise tall even when using discard instead of active starter.
Fresh Milled Flour for Sourdough Discard Biscuits
TLDR – You can make these sourdough discard biscuits using fresh milled flour by substituting hard white wheat with a simple 1:1 swap.
- Best Wheat Variety: Hard white wheat works beautifully in biscuits when freshly milled. It has a mild flavor and enough protein to create structure while still baking up tender when handled gently.
- How to Substitute: Use a 1:1 replacement by weight for all-purpose flour. For best texture, allow the dough to rest briefly after mixing so the fresh flour can fully hydrate.
- Texture Tip: Fresh milled flour absorbs liquid differently, so avoid adding extra flour during shaping. A slightly sticky dough helps create flaky, layered biscuits. If the dough in unworkable, add extra flour 1 tablespoon at a time.
If you need help with sourdough vocabulary, check out my Complete Guide to Sourdough Terms!
Step-By-Step Instructions
Preheat + prep pan. Preheat oven to 425°F. Place a cast-iron skillet (or baking dish) in the oven to heat.
Step 1 – Make the Dough: Whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar. Cut cold, cubed/grated butter into the dry ingredients until it looks like coarse crumbs with a few pea-size pieces. Stir in sourdough discard, milk, and egg just until the dough comes together. Don’t overmix.
Step 2 – Laminate for layers: Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface. Gently pat into a rectangle, fold in thirds, rotate, and repeat 3–4 folds (keep it gentle, don’t knead excessively like with bread dough or the biscuits will be tough).
Step 3 – Cut biscuits: Pat dough to about 1-inch thick. Cut straight down with a biscuit cutter (don’t twist) for the best rise.
Step 4 – Bake: Carefully remove the hot skillet, add a little butter (optional but delicious), and place biscuits. Bake 15–18 minutes at 425F until tall and golden.
Sourdough Discard Biscuits FAQs
Yes, sourdough discard biscuits can be made with unfed starter. This recipe relies on baking powder for lift, so the starter does not need to be active or bubbly.
Sourdough discard biscuits have a very mild tang, not an overpowering sour flavor. The butter and milk balance the discard, making them taste rich and savory.
Sourdough discard biscuits may not be flaky if the butter was too warm, the dough was overmixed, or the dough wasn’t folded. Cold butter and gentle folding create flaky layers.
Yes, sourdough discard biscuits can be made with fresh milled flour. Hard white wheat works well when substituted 1:1 by weight, with a short rest to allow proper hydration. Add more flour 1 tablespoon at a time if the dough is too sticky.
Yes. You can prepare sourdough discard biscuits ahead of time by mixing and shaping the dough, then refrigerating it until ready to bake. Bake just before serving for best texture.
Yes. Let sourdough discard biscuits cool completely, then freeze in an airtight bag or container. Reheat in the oven or toaster oven until warmed through.
Sourdough discard biscuits are typically baked in a hot oven around 425°F until tall, golden, and fully set in the center. A hot oven helps create lift and flaky layers.
Sourdough discard biscuits can turn dry if too much flour was added, the dough was overworked, or they were overbaked. Measure flour carefully and bake just until golden.
Expert Tips
- Keep everything cold: Cold butter and cold dairy create steam as the biscuits bake, which is key for flaky layers.
- Don’t overmix the dough: Mix just until combined. Overworking develops gluten and leads to dense biscuits.
- Fold for layers: A few gentle folds before cutting creates visible layers without toughening the dough.
- Cut straight down: Use a sharp cutter and press straight down without twisting so the biscuits rise tall and evenly.
- Use a hot pan: Baking biscuits in a preheated skillet or pan gives them a strong initial lift and crisp bottoms.
- Fresh milled flour tip: If using fresh milled hard white wheat, let the dough rest briefly after mixing so the flour fully hydrates.
Storage
- Room temperature: Store baked sourdough discard biscuits in an airtight container for up to 2 days.
- Refrigerator: Refrigeration isn’t recommended, as it can dry out the biscuits and affect texture.
- Freezer: Let biscuits cool completely, then freeze in an airtight bag or container for up to 3 months.
- Reheating: Warm biscuits in a 300°F oven for 5–8 minutes or split and toast until heated through.
If you love this recipe, please leave a ⭐ 5-star ⭐ rating below! If you have questions or suggestions – drop a comment!
30 Minute Sourdough Discard Biscuits
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Preheat + prep pan. Preheat oven to 425°F. Place a cast iron skillet (or baking dish) in the oven to heat.
- Mix dry ingredients. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar.
- Cut in cold butter. Add cold, cubed/grated butter and cut it into the flour until it looks like coarse crumbs with a few pea-size pieces (that’s what makes flaky layers).
- Add wet ingredients. Stir in sourdough discard, milk, and egg just until the dough comes together. Don’t overmix.
- Laminate for layers. Turn dough onto a lightly floured surface. Gently pat into a rectangle, fold in thirds, rotate, and repeat 3–4 folds.
- Cut biscuits. Pat dough to about 1-inch thick. Cut straight down with a biscuit cutter (don’t twist) for the best rise.
- Bake. Carefully remove the hot skillet, add a little butter (optional but delicious), and place biscuits close together. Bake 15–18 minutes until tall and golden.
- Finish + serve. Brush tops with melted butter and serve warm.
Nutrition
Video
Notes
- Sourdough discard: Unfed or active starter both work since baking powder provides the rise.
- Butter temperature: Keep butter very cold for the flakiest layers; warm butter will reduce lift.
- Do not overmix: Mix just until combined and handle the dough gently to avoid dense biscuits.
- Layering tip: Folding the dough a few times before cutting creates tall, flaky layers.
- Pan choice: Baking in a preheated cast iron skillet gives the best rise and golden bottoms.
- Fresh milled flour option: Substitute fresh milled hard white wheat 1:1 by weight for all-purpose flour. Allow the dough to rest briefly after mixing so the flour fully hydrates. Add more flour 1 tablespoon at a time if dough is too sticky.
- Storage: Store baked biscuits airtight at room temperature for up to 2 days or freeze for longer storage.
Tried this recipe?
Let us know how it was!About the Author
Welcome to Hopewell Heights, I’m Steph – seasoned sourdough baker, homesteader, homemaker, homeschooling mom of 5, and creator behind this Heritage American food blog. I hope you enjoy my family’s favorite, from-scratch recipes!
This recipe is so easy and quickly became a family favorite! My three-year-old and I made them for Christmas and my father-in-law called them “addictive.” I gave sourdough starter as a gift to my cousins and made sure to include this recipe as a must-try!
I make these at least once a week and use them for biscuits and gravy, breakfast sandwiches, and making casseroles like chicken and biscuits, they turn out perfect every time!
These are so great for when you forget to plan ahead and need to throw some biscuits together quickly. Family loved them and it’s my go to if I don’t have time to long ferment.
Fantastic flavor
Easy sourdough discard biscuits
We make these so often and always for company that comes to visit. They are so easy and buttery! I often do a bit less milk than it calls for and extra butter in the cast iron.
I’m a newbie when it comes to sourdough anything. This is only my 3rd time using my discard and I’m no professional baker but have been trying to make things at home! This recipe was so simple to follow and so easy with a delicious outcome. My biscuits were tall and fluffy and tasted so good! I’ll be making these again.
These came out sooo good. This is the first time I have ever made sourdough discard biscuits. I thought they needed a tiny bit more salt until I tried the biscuit with a sausage patty and man that changed my mind really quick! Great recipe and Thank you for sharing it with us